Foo - Overdependence

It has often occurred to me that, while America considers herself the "strongest nation on earth," that her citizens are actually very prone to disaster. Many of us in America have become so dependent upon convenience
that a mere day without hot water, or gasoline, or electricity, would be an extreme hardship. If we had to walk an extra mile, or use candles, or wear a coat around the house, we'd think the world was coming to an end.

This overdependency is a far cry from what our anscestors endured. Have our strengths become our weaknesses? If catastrophy struck, how would we, with our weakened, pampered bodies, endure?

(I guess I should have put this in the Lounge...)

Yeah, and it even goes a step further here at work, if our computers go down we are totally helpless, we can't do a thing. Hmmmm... now I'm starting to get depressed... I think I'll take a bike ride in the fresh snow.

LBM:

Being from Georgia and all, you missed an event that happened this year that perfectly illustrates your point. The "Blackout of 2003". Aside from a little spoiled food, it was a pretty normal couple of days for our family, but based on news coverage and the way folks were treating each other, you could reasonably assume that the entire world was ending.

"My God No TV" (I know folks that rented motel rooms 50 miles away just for this reason)

"What do you mean NO GASOLINE!" (The lines stretched for blocks and police had to be used to keep order)

Dan

This probably should have been put in the Political forum, (where it could be ignored) but what the hell, it's here now so let's have at it.
I assume you are speaking for all the Gaugia boys when you speak of pampered bodies and overdependence on others. . .Well. . .you may be right about Gaugia, but the rest of us get along pretty well with our clothes imported from China and our food imported from around the globe and our electricity, oil and gas imported from the middle east, Canada and So. America, but up here in Maine we have our own trees to cut down for fire wood and make paper to write letters, make books and newspapers with. So there. Who says we're dependent upon others? LittleBigMan, you should go back to playing in the street where you belong. Jest cuz youse rite 'bout Gaugia, don' make it so fur eve'ybudy, Buddy.

...up here in Maine we have our own trees to cut down for fire wood and make paper to write letters, make books and newspapers with.
We've got more wood down here in Dixie than you can shake a stick at.

So there.

Besides, if it wasn't for all you Yankies movin' down here, we wouldn't be so crowded now, you know. (There must be something down here y'all like.)

We've got more wood down here in Dixie than you can shake a stick at.


Calm down. We don't need another civil war, especially not about anyone's manhood ... or "wood" or whatever you want to call it.

Calm down. We don't need another civil war, especially not about anyone's manhood ... or "wood" or whatever you want to call it.
Relax. LJ is pulling your leg.

LJ, I guess we need more liberal use of smilies in our posts, eh?

;)

LittleBigMan, using smiles would take all th fun out of teasing, but if you insist:
:D ;) :) :rolleyes: :p :roflmao:

I wish I were one of those RealMEN from Maine. ;)

Sam --I wish you'd shorten your name--DaBikinMan; The proiblem with being a "RealMan" FROM Maine is that there are so few of them. People from AWAY come here to live and foolishly get the idea that after a few years they are MAINERS, but they ain't. It takes several generations to become FROM Maine; until then, you're just from AWAY.
But y'all is welcome to come on up anyway. Hell, I'll even go for a bike ride with ya.

Strange, we discussed this the other day at work. Scary part was that some of the real cream puffs in our office feel they could revert to the days of yore and easily survive.

I guess what I'm asking is "When we look in the mirror, how realistically do we assess the image we see?

Sam --I wish you'd shorten your name--DaBikinMan; The proiblem with being a "RealMan" FROM Maine is that there are so few of them. People from AWAY come here to live and foolishly get the idea that after a few years they are MAINERS, but they ain't. It takes several generations to become FROM Maine; until then, you're just from AWAY.
But y'all is welcome to come on up anyway. Hell, I'll even go for a bike ride with ya.


Please fell free to just call me Sam LJ. I think I'll just remain a big wimp and hang out here in Geaugeua!

But do come on down ta see us and ride sumtimes ya heah! We'll hev usn's sum collad greens and cawnbread muffin's afta thu ride.

In 1991 I was living in Poulsbo, WA & commuting across Puget Sound to work in Seattle via the Bainbridge Island Ferry. We experienced a rare "double whammy" event in our maritime climate, two wind, snow & ice storms only a few days apart. Lots of downed trees & power lines. Some lost power for only 2 or 3 days with a few days of power followed by another outage but most went without any electricity for 9 or ten days. We were a motly looking bunch on the ferry every morning but got to warmup & recivilize at work. Most people in the area had wells which meant without a generator you had no water or flush toilets for the duration. Some of us took in friends & neighbors who didn't have wood stoves or backup heat and there were a lot of damaged hot tubs during the big freeze. We need to remember how thin the veneer of civilization is. Don